Staple forming and setting machine.



No. 683,822. Patented 001. I, I90l. H. WEBER. STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899.) (No Mo'del.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Nu. 683,822. Patented Oct. I, l90l. H. WEBER.

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shani.

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No. 683,822. Patented Out. I, l90l. H. WEBER.

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE. 7

(Application filed Apr. 25, 169D,) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

llENRY WEBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LATHAM MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE.

SlECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,822, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed April 25, 1899.

. which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention relates to wirestitching machines, and particularly to the class of machines shown and described in Letters Patent to me No. 518,681, of October 29, 1895; and one of its objects is to provide a new and improved brake and wire-tension device for such machines whereby the reel for holding the wire may be automatically braked and a suitable tension given to the wire as it is fed to the machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved actuating-lever by which the wire-feeding devices are driven of such a character as to permit a varying stroke wire fed into such machines is severed into suitable lengths.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of such Wire-stitching machines in sundry-details hereinafter described.

I accomplish these objects as hereinafter specified and as illustrated in the drawings.

That which I regard as new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mechanism, partly in longitudinal cross-section. Fig. 2 is an en.- larged detail, being a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the staple former and driver in their raised positions. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the staple former and driver in a lower position than that shown in Fig. 2.

Serial No. 714380. (No model.)

prevented. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, be-

ing a cross section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, being a front elevation of the cutting-knife. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a cross-section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 is a similar viewon the line 10 10 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, 9 indicates the back plate, which is provided with an arm 10.

11 indicates a standard which is secured to the arm 10 and carries, pivoted upon its upper end, a reel 12, upon which is wound the wire 13.

141 indicates a frame which is pivoted to a cross-bar 15 on the standard 11.

.16 indicates a curved lever which is preferably'formed of metal and is secured to the frame 14. The lower end of the lever 16 is formed into a tube 17, which is adapted to allow the wire 13 to pass freely through it and is bent, as shown in Fig. 1, to direct the wire horizontally forward into the feeding devices hereinafter described. The upper end of the lever 16 is provided with a brake 18, which is adapted to bear upon and frictionally engage with the periphery of the reel 12.

19 indicates a spring which is mounted upon the cross-bar 15 and has its outer free engagement with the periphery of the reel 12,

the spring 19 being made of suitable strength for that purpose.

The operation of the above-described devices is as follows: When the wire is fed-forward by the feeding devices hereinafter described by its frictional engagement with the curved tube 17 on the lower end of the lever 16, it causes the tube 17 of the lever 16 to be swung to the right in Fig. 1 against the action of the spring 19, thus lowering the brake 18 away from contact with the periphery of the reel 12 and permitting the same to freely rotate, so that the wire is unwound and fed into the machine, being drawn through the tube 17 by the wire-feedin g devices hereinafter described. When the wire-feeding devices have finished their stroke and release their engagement with the wire, as hereinafter described, the spring 19 immediately returns the lever 16 to its former position, causing the brake 18 to frictionally engage with the periphery of the reel 12 and at once stop its rotation, thus preventing backlash 0f the wire or an undue amount being fed into the tube by continued rotation of the reel after the stroke of the feeding devices has ceased. It will be observed also that the action of the spring 19 is such, by its bearing upon the lever 16, as to afford the proper tension upon the wire as it is drawn through the tube 17.

20 indicates a cam which is mounted upon a driving-shaft 21, which is driven in any suitable way. The cam 20 is provided with an exterior cam surface or periphery 22 and with a cam-groove 23.

24 indicates a swinging arm which is journaled upon a pin 25, secured to the back plate 9. The pin 25 is provided with a cap 26, which is formed integral with or rigidly secured to its outer end, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The swinging arm 24 is provided with a hollow trunnion 27, through which the pin 25 passes. 28 indicatesa spiral spring which is mounted inside said hollow trunnion 27 around the pin 25 and has one end secured to the swinging arm 24 at the bottom of the hollow trunnion 27 andthe other to the interior of the cap 26, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The operation of the spring 28 is such as to tend to swing the swinging arm 24 toward the left in Fig. 1 and to return it to its original position after having been moved to the right in Fig. 1. The lower end of the swinging arm 24 is provided with a slot 29, which is adapted to receive and engage with a roller 30 upon the feed devices hereinafter described.

31 indicates a lever which is journaled upon the hollow trunnion 27 of the swinging arm 24, as is best shown in Fig. 4, and is provided at its upper end with a roller 32, adapted to bear upon and engage with the cam-surface 22. The lower arm of the lever 31 is provided with a recess 33.

34 indicates a cam which is located within the recess 33 in the lower arm of the lever 31 and is journaled therein by means of a stud 35, upon which said cam 34 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured. The stud 35 projects through the lower arm of the lever 31 and is provided upon its projecting end .with a squared portion 36.

37 indicates a stud which is secured to the swinging arm 24 and projects within the re cess 33 on the lower arm of the lever 31 and is adapted to engage with the cam 34, as hereinafter described.

38 indicates a pointer which is mounted upon the squared end 36 of the stud 35 and ceases is secured in position by meansof a screw 39. 40 indicates a set-screw which is screwed into one end of said pointer 38 and is adapted to engage and screw into a series of holes 41 on the lower arm of said lever 31. The outer surface of the lower arm of said lever 31 is provided with a graduated dial 42 underneath the indicator end of said pointer 38, as is best shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the above-described devices is as follows: As the cam 20 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 the bearing-surface 22 upon its periphery coming in contact with the roller 32 on the upper arm of the lever 31 moves the same over to the left in Fig. 1, moving the lower arm of the lever toward the right in Fig. 1 until the cam 34, coming in contact with the stud 37, causes the lower arm of the lever to thus engage with the swinging arm 24, thus swinging said arm 24 to the right in Fig. 1 as long as the cam 20 continues to bear. As soon as the cam 20 ceases to bear upon the roller 32 the action of the spring 28 returns the swinging arm 24 to its former position, moving the lever 31 of course with it, the upper arm of the lever 31 being free to move to the right in Fig. 1 when not engaged with the cam-surface 22. It will be obvious that by rotating the pointer 38 to the right, the set-screw 40 being unscrewed to permit this being done, the cam 34 is rotated with it, and the more the cam 34 is rotated to the right the sooner it will engage with the stud 37 on the swinging arm 24 as the lever 31 is oscillated by the cam 20, and it will also be obvious that the sooner the cam 34 engages the stud 37 the greater will be the swing given to the swinging arm 24 by the oscillation of the lever 31, the cam 34 being turned by means of the pointer 38,50 that the said pointer comes to any suitable place on the scale 42. The pointer 38 is locked in position by means of the set-screw 4O engaging with the holes 41. On the other hand, by moving the pointer 38 in the opposite direction a lesser swing may be given to the swinging arm 24 as the lever 31 is oscillated by the operation of the cam 20. Inasmuch as the swinging of the lower end of the swinging arm 24 operates the wirefeeding devices, it will be seen that by the adjustment of the cam above described, causing a greater or lesser swing to be given to said swinging arm 24, the feed of the machine may be varied.

43 indicates a plate which is slidingly mounted in the back plate 9, as is best shown in Fig. 4, and is moved to the right or left by means of a screw 44, engaging'therewith. The mounting of said plate 43 and the operation of said screw 44 are the same as shown and described in Letters Patent to me No. 548,681, above referred to, and need no further description here.

45 indicates parallel rods which are secured on the plate 43 in front thereof. 46 indicates a block which is carried on said rods 45, so as esasa to slide freely to and fro thereon, and carries on its rear surface the roller 30. The roller 30 engaging with the slot 29 on the lower end of the swinging arm 24, it will be obvious that the block 46 is reciprocated by the operation of the swinging arm 24 above described.

47 indicates an arm which is pivotally carried on a pin 48, which is screwed into the front surface of the block 46 near the top thereof.

49 indicates a spring which is mounted upon the pin 48 and bears with its lower free end upon a pin 50, mounted upon the lower end of said arm 47.

' 51 indicates a toothed wheel" which is provided with a number of holes 52, by means of any one of which the wheel 51 may be carried upon the arm 47 between its inner surface and the outer surface of the block 46by means of a screw 53, which is screwed through a suitable opening in the arm 47 and entering one of the openings 52 of the wheel 51 permits the said wheel 51 to be swingingly mounted thereon.

54 indicates a bearing-block which is secured to the outer surface of the block 46 below the wheel 51 by means of a screw 55. The upper surface of the bearing-block 54 is adapted to receive and support the wire 13, and the block 54 is so placed with reference to the wheel 51 as to engage the wire between the wheel 51 and the upper surface of the block 54, the spring 49 being adapted by its bearing upon the pin 50 to swing the arm 47 to the left in Fig. 1. It will be noticed that, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm 47 slants downward and to the right, and the adjustments of the parts are such that the wheel 51 will engage the wire between it and the upper surface of the bearing-block 54 before the said arm 47 can drop to a vertical position as it is swung to the-left by the spring 49.

56 indicates a block which is secured to the outer end of the sliding plate 43.

57 indicates an arm which is rotatabl y mounted upon a pin 58, screwed into said block 56.

59 indicates a wheel the periphery of which is rabbeted away so as to form a circular shoulder 61 concentric with the periphery 60 of the wheel 59. The periphery 60 of the wheel 59 is roughened to engage the wire, as hereinafter described. The circular shoulder 61 is provided with ratchet-teeth, as is best shown in Fig. 5. The wheel 59 is journaled upon a pin 62, which is carried by the lower end of the arm'57.

63 indicates a spring mounted upon the pin 58, the lower or free end of which engages with the pin 62 and operates to swing the arm 57 to the left in Figs. 1 and 5.

64 indicates a dog which is mounted on the arm 57 and engages with the ratchet-teeth on the circular shoulder 61, allowing the wheel 59 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, but preventing its rotation in the other direction.

65 indicates a bearing block which is mounted on the block 56 below the wheel 59 and has an upper bearing-surface adapted to receive and support the wire 13. It will be noticed that the arm 57, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 5, depends downwardly and to the right in said figures. The length of said arm and the adjustment of the block 65 are such that the roughened surface 60 engages the wire 13 between it and the upper surface of the block 65 as the spring 63 swings said arm to the left before said arm reaches a vertical position.

The operation of the last-described devices is as follows: The wire being led into the machine between the roughened surface 60 and the bearing-block 65 and the toothed wheel 51 and the bearing-block 54 and into the wirecutting and staple forming and driving devices, hereinafter mentioned, through a suitable opening in the plate 43,the machine is set in operation. As the cam 20 turns and bears upon the roller 32 upon the upper arm of the lever 31 the lever 31 is oscillated until the cam 34, coming in contact with the stud 37, causes the swinging arm 24 to be swung to the right. The slot 29 upon the lower end of said swinging arm 24 engaging with the pin 30 on the block 46, the block 46 is moved to the right in Fig. 1. The position of the parts is such that as soon as said motion begins the wire engages with the teeth of the wheel 51, and thus swinging the arm 47 slightly downward and to the left the wire is gripped firmly between said wheel 51 and the upper surface of the bearing-block 54, and the wire is thus fed forward into the machine. At the same time the frictional contact of the wire with the roughened surface 60 causes the same to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 and allows the wire to pass freely through between said roughened surface 60 and the upper surface of the bearing-block 65. As soon as the stroke of the swinging lever is completed it is returned to its first position, as above described, by the action of the spring 28, carrying with it, of course, the block 46. As the block 46 thus moves backward or to the left in Fig. 1 the adjustment of the arm 47, wheel 51, and upper surface of the bearing-block 44 is such that by the frictional contact of the wire with said wheel 51 the said wheel is somewhat lifted, so as to permit it to slide freely over the wire. At the same time in case there should be any friction whatever, so as to tend to move the wire backward, the wire engages with the teeth of the roughened surface 60, which is prevented from rotating by the action of the dog 64 on the toothed surface 61, and the arm 57 being thus moved slightly downward and to the left the wire is clamped between the roughened surface 60 and the upper surface of the block 65, preventing any backward movement. It will be observed that the wheel 51 being provided with a series of openings by which it is carried on the pin 53 as the teeth of said wheel I illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and of the drawings. The knife 86 is slidingly mounted upon the inner end of the sliding block 43, as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The upper end of the knife 86 is provided with a suitable opening adapted to receive a pin 87, which is mounted in the side of the stapleformer 67, hereinafter described. The wire passes through a suitable opening in the block 43, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, into the staple forming and staple-drivingdevices hereinafter described below the knife 86, and as the staple-former 6,7 is caused to descend in the manner hereinafter described the knife 86 is brought down upon the wire, severing it. The block 43, as has been described above, is moved to and fro by the screw 44 engaging therewith, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and is provided on its outer surface with a gage 88, which is marked with figures, as is shownin Fig. 1, to correspond with the figures upon the gage or dial 42. The object of this sliding of the block 43 and of the gage 88 is to enable the length of the wire cut off by the knife to correspond with the feed of the machine. In other words, as the feed is adjusted by means of the devices above described so as to feed a greater or lesser;

length of wire into the machine the block 43 is moved to the left or right by means of the screw 44, so that when the exposed figure on the gage 88 corresponds with the figure indicated by the pointer 38 the amount of wire cut off to the left of the staple forming and driving devices hereinafter described by the knife 86 will be proportionate to the increased or lessened length of the feed, so that asthe wire is fed a greater or lesser distance to the right by the feeding devices it will be cut off a greater or lesser distanceto the left by the knife 86, thus making both legs of the staple of the same length.

67 indicates a staple-former which is slidingly mounted in a block 68, secured to the front of the back plate 9 of the machine. The staple-former 67 is bifurcated at its lower end in the same manner as shown and described in Letters Patent to me, No. 548,681, and as is also shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper end of the staple-former 67 carries a roller 67, which engages with the cam-groove 23.

69 indicates a staple-supporter which is swung upon a pivot 70, between the bifurcated ends of the staple-former 67, and has a projecting arm 69. 71 indicates a spring which is coiled around said pivot 7 O and has its two free ends bearing one against the rear of the staple-former 67 and.the other against the staple-supporter 69, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in such a way as to tend to swing the lower end of said staple-former to the right when left free to operate. When the staple-supporter 69 is raised in the position shown in Fig. 2, the arm 69. bears against a block 9 in the back plate 9 in sucha way as to hold the staple supporter 69. against the action of the spring 71 in the position shown in said Fig. 2 to allow the parts hereinafter described freedom to operate. The arm 69 and the block 9 are of such length and so related to each other that the staple-supporter 69 is held in said position during the descent of the staple-former until the staple is formed, as hereinafter described, and until the lower point of the staple-supporter is clear of the anvil hereinafter described.

72 indicates a staple-driver which is slidingly mounted in a suitable groove on the front surface of the staple-former 67, as is best shown in Fig. 1.

73 indicates a link which is pivotally connected to the upper end of the driver 72 and with the outer surface of the cam 20, eccentrically therewith, so that by the rotation of said cam the said driver 72 is reciprocated vertically. The lower end of said driver'72 is provided with a notch 74, which engages with the wire, as hereinafter described.

75 indicates a block which is secured in front of the block 68 and is .provided with an interior recess 76.

77 indicates an anvil which is pivotally suspended vertically within the recess 7 6 upon a pin 7 S and is provided with a projecting beveled surface 79 and a groove 80 below saidbeveled surface 79.

81 indicates a spring which bears against the interior of the block 75 and against the front surface of the anvil 77 and tends to hold the same in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the above-described devices is as follows: The wire being fed into the machine as above described passes into the slot 80 in the anvil 77, which is adapted to receive it, and is thereupon severed by any suitable cutting mechanism, as above described, so as to leave a portion of said wire projecting upon each side of said anvil 77. As soon as the wireis severed the stapleformer 67 being caused to descend by the operation of the cam-groove 23 on the roller 68 the. bifurcated ends of said staple-former come down one upon each side of said anvil, which when in the position shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to come between the said arms, and by the operation of said staple-former the wire is bent at right angles upon each side of said anvil as the wire rests in the groove 80, thus forming a staple. The staplesupporter 69, held by the arm 69 bearing against the block 9 against the action-of the spring 71, clears the anvil 77 in its descent with the staple-former, and as soon as the staple is formed and the lower and forward edge of the staple-supporter is carried below the anvil in the descent of the staple-former the arm 69 is cleared from the block 9, and the spring 71 swings the staple-supporter forward below the anvil and between the legs of the formed staple in the position shown in Fig. 3. In the meanwhile as the driver 72 descends by the operation of the link 73, above described, its lower end comes in con tact with the beveled surface 79 of the anvil 77, thus causing the anvil to be swung on its pivot 78 to the right against the action of the spring 81, and the formed staple is freed from the groove 80 and rests upon the staplesupporter 69, as is shown in Fig. 3, the groove 74: in the lower portion of the driver 72 coming in contact with the horizontal portion or head of the staple, which is resting on the staple-supporter G9. The staple supporter and former by the operation of the camgroove on the roller 68 descend until the staple-supporter rests upon the surface of the paper to be stapled. The staple-driver 72, however, continuing its downward movement the lower end of the staple-driver engages with the upper surface of the staplesupporter, forces the staple-supporter back, swinging it upon its pivot 70 against the action of the spring 71, and drives the staple through the paper. When thus driven, the staple is clenched by anysuitable clenching mechanismsuch, for instance, as that described in Letters Patent to me, No. 548,681; but as the same forms no part of my present invention it is not necessary to describe it here. When the staple is driven, the parts rise, and the action of the various parts is so timed that the staple driver and stapleformer rise together, and the staple-driver still held in contact with the upper surface of the staple-supporter holds it swung back against the spring 71, allowing the arm 69 to enter the recess between the block 9 and the back of the staple-former.

Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 illustrate a new and improved form of knife. Referring to said figures, 82 indicates a plate which is struck up or otherwise formed so as to have a 1011- gitudinal central shoulder 83 on its front surface and a longitudinal depression or groove 84, corresponding with the shoulder 83, on its rear surface. of the bottom of the plate 82, and its lower end is beveled inward and upward, as is shown in Fig. 8, leaving a slot in said plate below said shoulder 83. 85 indicates aknife having a double cutting edge, one on each The shoulder 83 is cut off short on the sliding block 43 and operates in the manner above described. The advantage of this construction is that the knife is given a double cutting edge, so that when one wears away the knife may be readily removed from the plate 82 and turned around, so that the other cutting edge may be used. At the same time in case of breakage of the knife it may be readily renewed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, indicates a pin which isscrew-threaded into a suitable opening in the block 56 and has a slot 90 in its outer end by means of which it may be turned by a screw-driver or suitable tool, so as to adjust the said pin. The pin 90 is provided at its other end with a head 91, of leather, cork, or othersuitable material,which is adapted to enter a suitable opening 92 in the block 56. In its rearward movement, above described, the sliding block 46 comes back against the head 91, which is adapted to receive the blow without injuring the parts. It will be observed that thus the wire-feeding devices are alwaysbrought close to the block 56 and the ratchet-wheel 59 and engage the wire close to the same, thus enabling wire of thin gage to be used,if desirable,withoutbending it. In case of any wearing of the parts the pin 90 is adjusted by screwing it in or out of the block 56, thus moving the head 91 forward or backward a short distance, as may be desired, and assisting in properly regulating the feed. v

That which I claim as my invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of wire-feeding mechanism, a wire-reel, a swinging leverhaving a wire-receiving tubular portion extended toward and delivering the wire to said wirefeeding mechanism, a brake mounted on, carried by and swinging with said lever, and a spring acting on the lever to normally hold the brake against the wire-reel, the lever being swung to hold the brake away from the reel by the action of the wire in the tubular portion of said lever when the wire is positively advanced by the wire-feeding mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a wire-stapling machine,the combination with a swinging arm and wire-gripping devices engaged and operated by said arm, of a lever oscillating on the same center as said swinging arm, a cam mounted on said lever and adapted to bear against said swinging arm as said lever is oscillated, and mechanism to oscillate said lever, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-stapling machine, the combination with a swinging arm and wire-gripping devices engaged and operated by said arm, of a lever oscillating on the same center as said swinging arm, a cam mounted on said lever and adapted to bear against said swinging arm as said lever is oscillated, means for adjusting said cam, and mechanism to oscillate said lever, substantially as described.

4. In a wire-stapling machine, the combination with a swinging arm, and wire-grippingdevices engaged by said arm and operated thereby, of a lever oscillating on the same center as said swinging arm, a cam mounted on said lever and adapted to bear against said swinging arm and by its adj ustment adapted to vary the period of operative engagement between said lever and said swinging arm, and mechanism to oscillate said lever, substantially as described.

nation with a swinging arm, a spring bearing upon said swinging arm and adapted to normally hold said arm in position and when free to operate to return the arm to the same position, a wire-gripping device engaged and operated by said arm, of an oscillatory lever oscillating on the same center as said swinging arm, a cam mounted on said lever adapted to bear against'said swinging arm as said lever is oscillated to move said arm against 6.' In a wire-stapling machine, the combithe action of said spring, means for adj usterative'engagement between said lever and said swinging arm, and mechanism to oscillate said lever, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a plate formed with a central longitudinal shoulder upon one surface and a corresponding groove below, of a double-edged knife removably secured to said plate below said shoulder, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a plate having a central longitudinal shoulder extending a portion of its length, and a slot below said shoulder, of a double-edged knife removably mounted upon said plate and below said shoulder, substantially as described.

9. In a wire-feeding machine, the combination with staple forming and driving mechanism, means for operating the same, a lever, and means for operating the same, of an oscillatory arm adapted to oscillate on its pivotal pointindependent of said lever,wirefeeding devices engaged and operated by said arm, an adjustable stop mounted on said lever and adapted to contact with said arm on the operative movement'of said lever, and means independent of the movement of the lever for returning said arm to its normal position.

HENRY WEBER.

Witnesses:

G. E. PIOKARD, JULIA M. BRISTOL. 

